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The <keyword id="19895876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Election-Commission-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Election Commission of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Election Commission of India">Election Commission of India</keyword> (ECI) has officially announced the schedules for the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, setting the stage for crucial state elections next month. Here’s what voters in these states can expect: <h2>Maharashtra: Single-phase voting on November 20</h2>Maharashtra will head to the polls in a single phase on November 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23. This election will see a high-stakes contest between two major coalitions: the <keyword id="19924537" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maha-Vikas-Aghadi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maha Vikas Aghadi" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Maha Vikas Aghadi">Maha Vikas Aghadi</keyword> (MVA) and the <keyword id="21555670" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maha-Yuti-Alliance" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Maha Yuti Alliance" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Maha Yuti Alliance">Maha Yuti Alliance</keyword>. The MVA consists of <keyword id="19905331" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uddhav-Thackeray" source="keywords">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword>'s Shiv Sena (UBT), the <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword>, and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) under Sharad Pawar. Meanwhile, the Maha Yuti Alliance brings together the <keyword id="19931558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharatiya Janata Party" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharatiya Janata Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP), Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP. This intense battle for control over the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly follows the end of the current term on November 26. The model code of conduct has come into immediate effect in Maharashtra, guiding political parties on appropriate campaigning practices and ensuring fair elections. <h2>Jharkhand: Two-phase voting on November 13 and 20</h2>In Jharkhand, voting will occur in two phases: the first on November 13 and the second on November 20. The results will be declared on November 23, alongside Maharashtra’s. This election focuses on the 81-seat Assembly, with a fierce competition expected between the ruling <keyword id="20028356" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jharkhand-Mukti-Morcha" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Jharkhand Mukti Morcha" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Jharkhand Mukti Morcha">Jharkhand Mukti Morcha</keyword> (JMM)-Congress alliance and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which includes the BJP, All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), and Janata Dal (United). Jharkhand’s current Assembly term expires on January 5, 2025. The elections will feature 29,562 polling stations across urban and rural areas to accommodate the state’s 2.6 crore registered voters. This diverse electorate includes 66.84 lakh young voters and 11.84 lakh first-time voters, with special arrangements for 3.67 lakh persons with disabilities. <h2>Pre-election preparations</h2>The ECI’s preparations for the elections began in September, with teams visiting both states to assess readiness. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, alongside Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, met with local officials, district collectors, and political representatives to evaluate logistical arrangements and security measures. In Maharashtra, the Maha Yuti Alliance and the MVA have been ramping up their efforts to secure <keyword id="23060079" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-support" source="keywords">voter support</keyword> in what is expected to be a dramatic electoral showdown. In Jharkhand, the ruling JMM, which is part of the INDIA bloc, is eyeing another term despite recent controversies surrounding Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who faced legal challenges earlier this year. The JMM-Congress-RJD alliance remains strong, as the party is expected to contest all 81 seats in the Assembly. (With inputs from agencies)

ECI Announces election schedules for Maharashtra and Jharkhand; both states to vote in November

Mumbai, In a setback for Congress in Mumbai ahead of Lok Sabha polls, former Union minister <keyword id="85636" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="milind-deora" source="Orion">Milind Deora</keyword> on Sunday quit the party "to walk the path of development" and joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, ending a "55 years old association" of the Deora family with the Grand Old Party. With Deora resigning just before the start of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the Congress alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for headline management to counter the yatra, and asserted that it would have no impact. The former Mumbai South MP announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the party on social media platform X in the morning hours on Sunday. "Today marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey. I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of the Congress, ending my family's 55-year relationship with the party. I am grateful to all leaders, colleagues and karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years," Deora stated. He later went to Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi to offer prayers. In the afternoon, Deora joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Eknath Shinde in a function at Varsha, the official residence of the chief minister. Earlier in the day, when Deora stepped out of his residence 'Ramalayam' in south Mumbai, he told reporters that he was "going to walk on the path of development". Deora, who was recently appointed the joint treasurer of the All India Congress Committee, had expressed disapproval at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) staking a claim to the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency which he had represented in the past. The undivided Shiv Sena's Arvind Sawant, now with the Thackeray faction, had defeated Deora in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. Deora was also the head of the Mumbai Congress at one time. He is the son of party stalwart late Murli Deora. After Deora announced his resignation on X, Mumbai Congress president <keyword id="20188187" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="varsha-gaikwad" source="keywords">Varsha Gaikwad</keyword> said it was unfortunate that he had quit the party on the day when the Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' commences from Manipur. Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole called it a ploy by the Bharatiya Janata Party to divert the attention from the Yatra and mocked Deora as a "twice defeated candidate". Former chief minister Ashok Chavan said Deora wanted to contest from the Mumbai South constituency but the (Maha Vikas Aghadi) alliance's understanding is that the sitting MP must not be disturbed. "The BJP was spreading rumours that the Congress will split. Now the BJP and its allies are taking along with them a twice-defeated candidate to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. This attempt will not be successful," Patole said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, however, said there would be no compromise on the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat. "Arvind Sawant is a two-time MP (of Shiv Sena-UBT). What is wrong with him contesting again? There will be no compromise on this," Raut asserted. In a swipe at BJP, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP <keyword id="20083020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="supriya-sule" source="keywords">Supriya Sule</keyword> asked if the saffron party had no talent of its own. Asked about Deora's resignation, Sule said the BJP and its allies were becoming the Congress, an apparent reference to leaders from the grand old party switching allegiance to the ruling side.

Milind Deora quits Congress, joins Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde to 'walk development path'

The tallies for each constituency are in, and the arithmetic for the next government is being worked out. If the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (<keyword id="19894848" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP" source="keywords">BJP</keyword>) manages to hold onto their alliances, the stage will be set for Modi 3.0. However, if the Congress-led INDIA bloc somehow lures major parties like JD(U) and TDP, they might have a chance, though it is a long shot at the moment. However, with the results out for all 543 constituencies, much has been revealed about the general attitude of the country’s voters. For instance, despite the almost-unshakable belief that the BJP will sweep almost all 80 <keyword id="19894922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh" source="keywords">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> seats — especially after the Ram Mandir inauguration — the party shockingly only managed to win only 33. Some experts speculate that this outcome came from the party failing to address core issues such as employment and economic anxiety, and instead choosing to focus on religious divide to win ballots. Expert institutions, such as Bernstein and Citi Research, have now noted that new spendings may now thus become focused on the poor, women, farmers and rural areas, especially considering how rapidly BJP’s <a href="https://bfsi.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/bias-of-markets-expected-rural-agriculture-to-be-the-new-focus-areas-reports/110728041">vote share has dropped in the rural seats</a>. For context, rural constituencies make up 60% of the total constituencies in India, according to The Economic Times. However, this is not to say that the party has clear favourites among the more developed and richer states either. Many of the richest Indian states have expressed mixed to lukewarm reactions towards BJP this election cycle, and even delivered unexpected shockers. For instance, the NDA lost a lot of ground in Uttar Pradesh, <keyword id="19897316" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra" source="keywords">Maharashtra</keyword> and Rajasthan — some states with the biggest economies in the country. As for the current scenario, the party favourite remains mixed. Considering that the country has delayed the National Survey by four years, we have to rely on independent sources to come up with more current state-wide economic statistics. Therefore, as per the India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), <keyword id="19896017" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karnataka" source="keywords">Karnataka</keyword>, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat formed the five largest state economies in India in the 2023 Financial Year. Let’s take a look at how India’s wealthiest states voted in <keyword id="20886626" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-2024" source="keywords">Lok Sabha 2024</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Karnataka" comment="subhead" text="Karnataka">Karnataka</cmsannotation> Despite struggles with making headway in the South, the BJP had made a clean sweep in Karnataka, bagging 25 seats in the 2019 general elections. While the BJP-JD(S) alliance has managed to retain a majority in the southern state with 17 seats, <keyword id="19895371" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Congress" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Congress" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Congress">Congress</keyword> made an impressive comeback this year, winning 9 seats compared to the 1 in the last election cycle. JD(S) managed to capture the remaining two seats. As for the four Bengaluru constituencies, BJP managed to cling onto all of them as well, with Tejasvi Surya in Bengaluru South, Shobha Karandlaje in Bengaluru North, P. C. Mohan in Bengaluru Central and C. N. Manjunath in Bengaluru Rural. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Uttar Pradesh" comment="subhead" text="Uttar Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</cmsannotation> As mentioned earlier, the biggest controversies came out of Uttar Pradesh. Housing prominent figures such as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state has been widely considered as a stronghold for the saffron party, who had won a whopping 62 seats in 2019. However, resident voters were determined to take to the booths to voice their dissent this year. Of the 80 UP constituencies — by far the state with the largest number of seats — 37 were won by the Samajwadi Party. Meanwhile, the BJP held onto 33 seats, and the INC 6. The difference is stark: BJP lost 27 of the seats it won in the previous election cycle. Many prominent figures were dethroned this year, including Smriti Irani in Amethi, Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra in Kheri and Maneka Gandhi in Sultanpur. However, perhaps the biggest shocker came from the fact that the BJP also lost the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which housed the contentious Ram Temple. Awadesh Prasad of the Samajwadi Party will be chairing the constituency for the next five years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, contested for the Varanasi seat, beating INC’s Ajay Rai by a margin of 2.5 lakh votes. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Maharashtra" comment="subhead" text="Maharashtra">Maharashtra</cmsannotation> Another of the biggest losses for the BJP also saw a resurgence for Congress in the state with the highest <keyword id="35050" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gdp" source="Orion">GDP</keyword>. While the NDA had clinched 41 out of the 48 seats in the previous 2019 elections, it managed to bag a paltry 9 this time around. While this is a monumental loss for the ruling party, they managed to hold firmly onto most of the coastal Konkan belt. Headed by the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP won 7 of the 12 coastal seats, including in Palghar, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and Mumbai North. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena (UBT) maintained its hold on half of the six Mumbai constituencies. Of the four Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) seats, NCP (SP) won Bhiwandi, Shinde-led Shiv Sena won Thane and Kalyan and BJP won Palghar. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Tamil Nadu" comment="subhead" text="Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu</cmsannotation> Of all the economic powerhouses, Tamil Nadu was the only state untouched by the BJP this year. Out of the 39 seats in the state, the MK Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) came out victorious in 22, the INC won 9, while a coalition of other parties bagged the remaining seats. This was a massive win for the DMK, especially considering the two major opposition parties, the AIADMK and BJP, had come together to contest this year. Considered by many as BJP's most promising candidate, K Annamalai, too lost to DMK’s Ganapathi P Rajkumar in Coimbatore. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Gujarat" comment="subhead" text="Gujarat">Gujarat</cmsannotation> While most of the other states endured major plot-twists, the story has remained almost the same for Narendra Modi’s home state, Gujarat. As per final polls, the BJP won 25 of the total 26 seats in the state, falling short of a full clean sweep due to INC clutching the final one. However, the INC win in the Banaskantha Lok Sabha seat was no small victory, considering this was the first time in a decade that the party had made ground in the western state. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah contested and won from state capital Gandhinagar by a massive margin of nearly 7.5 lakh votes.

Lok Sabha 2024: How BJP, Congress and other parties have performed in states with largest economies in India

Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister <keyword id="193503" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="eknath-shinde" source="Orion">Eknath Shinde</keyword> has been working to assuage the concerns of <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> lawmakers after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader <keyword id="6366108" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ajit-pawar" source="Orion">Ajit Pawar</keyword> joined the coalition government and asserted there was nothing to worry, Sena legislators said. Shinde, who presided over a meeting of Shiv Sena MLAs, MLCs and MPs on Wednesday, was kept in the loop about the fast-paced developments in the NCP which culminated in Ajit Pawar taking oath as deputy CM along with eight other ministers on July 2 in a stunning turn of events, they said. A section of Shiv Sena lawmakers had raised certain concerns after the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joined the one-year-old Shinde-BJP government. The induction of the rebel NCP group in the cabinet has dented the prospects of ministerial aspirants from the BJP and the Shiv Sena, leaving some of them upset and Shinde is aware of their sentiments Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar said earlier in the day. Amid the changed politician equation, Shiv Sena MLAs and MPs on Wednesday night attended a meeting at Shinde's official residence 'Varsha' in south Mumbai. "A lot of issues were discussed in the meeting like the ones pertaining to the monsoon session of Parliament as well as in the state legislature, strengthening the party's organisation," said a party MP. Another party MP said Shinde was asked whether he know about the sudden developments in the NCP to which he responded in the affirmative. The MP said the political developments took place at a rapid pace due to which Sena lawmakers could not be informed about them in advance. The chief minister stressed the Ajit Pawar-led NCP group joining the ruling alliance will only help the party lawmakers, the MP added. "He said there was nothing to worry as the BJP and the Shiv Sena have been in the government for a year now and the NCP (faction led by Ajit Pawar) joining the government will not affect its functioning in anyway," a Shiv Sena MLC said. Last year, more than three dozen Shiv Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, had revolted against party president Uddhav Thackeray over his decision to join hands with the the NCP and the Congress which crystallised in formation of the <keyword id="8357634" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="maha-vikas-aghadi" source="Orion">Maha Vikas Aghadi</keyword> (MVA) government in 2019. They had also alleged Ajit Pawar, who was the finance minister in the erstwhile MVA government, did not allocate enough funds for development of their constituencies. Earlier in the day, Sena MP Kirtikar told PTI, "The scope of ministerial aspirants from the BJP and the Shiv Sena minimised after the NCP (rebel faction) joined the government. This has upset some MLAs. The chief minister was aware of this." With the induction of nine ministers from the <keyword id="17888465" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ajit-pawar-camp" source="Orion">Ajit Pawar camp</keyword>, the strength of the Shinde-Fadnavis cabinet has gone up to 29, leaving 14 posts still vacant. On Tuesday, Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLA Sanjay Shirsat indicated there was some uneasiness in a section of the party after the latest political development. "Party (Shiv Sena) workers and supporters have started asking us how and why did Ajit Pawar and his group join the government? They said will it shrink their political space in the state. But I can assure you that Ajit Pawar joining the government was inevitable," Shirsat said.

Maha crisis: Shinde meets Sena lawmakers to assuage concerns over Ajit Pawar camp joining govt

Senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister <keyword id="6355042" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Devendra-Fadnavis" source="Orion">Devendra Fadnavis</keyword> will take decisions on <keyword id="549985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="seat-sharing" source="Orion">seat-sharing</keyword> and <keyword id="22753690" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="negotiations-with-allies" source="Orion">negotiations with allies</keyword> for the upcoming assembly polls in the state, a party leader has said. The move aims to prevent undesired delays by streamlining preparations for the assembly elections due in a few months, BJP's Mumbai unit chief <keyword id="6367689" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ashish-Shelar" source="Orion">Ashish Shelar</keyword> told reporters on Sunday. "The core committee (of the state unit) has met in Mumbai to delegate all decision-making powers concerning seat-sharing and the selection of assembly constituencies to Fadnavis," he said. Party observer and Union minister Bhupender Yadav, BJP national secretary Vinod Tawde, Union minister and Mumbai North MP Piyush Goyal also attended the meeting. Of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, the BJP won 104 in 2019. Shelar confirmed finalisation of the "formula for winning, besides the planning and seat-sharing arrangements with the allies". "Fadnavis has been granted full authority in this regard," he said. The BJP-led Mahayuti, also comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the NCP headed by Ajit Pawar, won only 17 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the recent parliamentary polls. The BJP's tally came down to 9 from 23 five years ago. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, consisting of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), bagged 30 seats. Shelar said, "We have decided to save time by streamlining the planning, discussions, and decision-making processes with all the NDA constituents to finalise the candidates. Once this is done, we can begin preparations for the assembly polls. The list of candidates will be released at the appropriate time." After the BJP's Lok Sabha tally came down to 9 in Maharashtra, Fadnavis had offered to quit the deputy CM's post to enable him to focus on party work ahead of assembly elections. Later, after a party meeting where state BJP legislators passed a resolution reposing faith in him, Fadnavis said he would continue to work.

Maharashtra polls: Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to decide on seat-sharing, negotiations with allies

In an apparent softening of stance, <keyword id="13126" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="Orion">Maharashtra</keyword> Chief Minister <keyword id="53973" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="uddhav-thackeray" source="Orion">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword> -- who is also <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> President -- on Tuesday appealed to the rebel group camping in Guwahati to return and hold discussions. "Many of you are in contact with us and are still emotionally connected with the Shiv <keyword id="6394856" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="sena" source="Orion">Sena</keyword>. The families of several have also got in touch with us and conveyed your sentiments to us," said <keyword id="41515" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="thackeray" source="Orion">Thackeray</keyword>. He assured that as the head of the Sena family, he respected their views and made it clear from his heart that till date "nobody is out of the party" though the (rebels) are stuck in Guwahati with all kinds of speculations. "I appeal to you all. Come before me. Let's remove all the misconceptions among the minds of the people and the Shiv Sainiks," Thackeray appealed. The CM said if they all sit together, they can definitely come up with a solution to the political imbroglio and cautioned them against falling prey to any kinds of wrong measures. He made it clear that the respect and dignity the Shiv Sena accorded them, they can never get that privilege anywhere else. "Come in front of me and present your views, let's work out a solution. I am still worried about you," concluded Thackeray. This is at least the third direct appeal made by the Chief Minister to the rebels since the party crisis exploded on the night of June 21-22. The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi was plunged into turmoil, when that night around 39 Sena MLAs and 11 others sneaked out to Gujarat and then to Assam to join the rebel faction headed by Minister Eknath Shinde. ALSO SEE <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/punjab-chief-minister-amarinder-singh-resigns-amid-ongoing-turmoil-in-congress/articleshow/86320321.cms">Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh resigns amid ongoing turmoil in Congress</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/bjp-up-has-spent-over-3-crore-on-facebook-ads-last-month-congress-spent-6-lakh/articleshow/89750791.cms">BJP UP has spent over ₹3 crore on Facebook ads last month, Congress spent ₹6 lakh</a>

Maha crisis: Thackeray appeals to the rebels to come back

<keyword id="13126" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="Orion">Maharashtra</keyword> Governor Bhagat <keyword id="12698258" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="singh-koshyari" source="Orion">Singh Koshyari</keyword> has asked the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Shiv Sena-Nationlaist <keyword id="1575" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="congress" source="Orion">Congress</keyword> Party-Congress to take a floor test and prove its majority on June 30 (Thursday). A letter to the effect was issued to the Maharashtra Legislature Secretary by the Raj Bhavan late Tuesday -- soon after a delegation of the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met the Governor and urged him for immediate directions to the MVA to prove its majority. The Governor has convened a Special Session of the Maharashtra Assembly Thursday with a single point agenda of a trust vote against Chief Minister <keyword id="53973" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="uddhav-thackeray" source="Orion">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword>. "Thus I have issued a communication to the CM calling upon him to prove his majority on the floor of the House on 30.06.2022," said the Governor. The proceedings shall begin at 11 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Thursday, the proceedings shall be video-graphed and telecast live and adequate security shall be provided inside and outside the legislature. Meanwhile, there are indications that the <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> is likely to move the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing in the matter amid speculation that Thackeray may take certain drastic measures at the Cabinet meeting scheduled later in the day ALSO SEE <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/punjab-congress-chief-sidhu-quits-with-a-one-line-resignation/articleshow/90256050.cms">Punjab Congress chief Sidhu quits with a one-line resignation</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/news/bjp-up-has-spent-over-3-crore-on-facebook-ads-last-month-congress-spent-6-lakh/articleshow/89750791.cms">BJP UP has spent over ₹3 crore on Facebook ads last month, Congress spent ₹6 lakh</a>

Maha crisis: Uddhav Thackeray government to face floor test tomorrow

Long stints in electoral politics and past experience in handling key government departments are the hallmarks of Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena legislators who took oath as ministers along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at the Shivaji Park here on Thursday evening. Thackeray is heading a coalition government, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), whose main constituents are the Sena, the Congress and the NCP. <keyword id="6360285" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="chhagan-bhujbal">Chhagan Bhujbal</keyword>, Jayant Patil (both from the NCP), Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut (both from the Congress), Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai (both from the Sena) took oath as ministers along with Thackeray. Chhagan Bhujbal: Bhujbal (72) is a veteran figure in Maharashtra politics, who has the rare distinction of being associated with all the three major non-BJP parties in the state. A senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, Bhujbal had been a member of both the Shiv Sena and the Congress at different times. Taking over as a minister is a sort of revival of his political fortunes after spending two years in jail since March 2016 in a money laundering case when the BJP-led government was in power. Bhujbal, who represents the OBC community, cut his political teeth in the Shiv Sena. He served as the Mayor of Mumbai, a Sena bastion, two times - 1985-86 and 1990-91. He quit the Sena in 1991, causing quite a stir in state politics, and joined the Congress. Bhujbal resigned from the Congress in 1999 and sided with Sharad Pawar who formed the NCP the same year. He became deputy chief minister in December 2008 and held key portfolios such as home affairs and public works in the Congress-NCP government. Jayant Patil: Jayant Patil (57) is perceived as a leader with a clean image. He took charge of the NCP's Maharashtra unit replacing Sunil Tatkare in April 2018, ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls. The NCP retained its tally in the 2019 April Lok Sabha election and fared better in the October Assembly polls, but the credit largely went to his boss, Pawar. Being part of a motley alliance of once-rival and ideologically divergent parties, Patil, known for composed demeanour, will be one of the key leaders who will be seen doing the trapeze act to ensure the three-party government sustains. Patil, son of well-known Maharashtra leader the late Rajaram Patil, held key portfolios like finance, home and rural development from 1999 to 2014 when the Congress-NCP combine ruled the state. Eknath Shinde: Shinde (55) is the most prominent face of the Sena in the adjoining Thane city from where has been elected consecutively four terms to the assembly. Considered a troubleshooter in the Sena, Shinde was the PWD minister in the previous BJP-led government (2014-19. Subhash Desai: One of the confidants of Uddhav Thackeray, Desai (77) is currently an MLC. The senior-most member of the cabinet had been a member of the assembly three times. Now serving his third term in the upper house of the legislature, Desai was the industries minister in the 2014-19 BJP-Sena government. Balasaheb Thorat: Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat (66) took charge of the party's state unit at a difficult time. When Thorat became the Maharashtra Congress chief in July this year, the party was already staring down the barrel after its Lok Sabha poll debacle in the state, once its citadel. It could win only one seat in the general election and was relegated to inferior position than its ally, the NCP. The Congress (44) though fared better in the Assembly elections, winning two more seats than its 2014 tally. The result may not be satisfactory for the party, which led the state several times in the past, a trusted lieutenant of the party's central leadership, Thorat ensured proper co-ordination in the state unit hit by factionalism. Thorat, known for maintaining a low profile, was first elected as an MLA from Sangamner in 1985 as an independent. In 1990, he contested Assembly poll on a Congress ticket and this is his eighth term as a legislator. He became a minister of state in 1999 and was promoted as a cabinet minister in 2004. The Congress legislature party leader has held revenue, agriculture, water conservation and protocol portfolios in the past. Nitin Raut: A key leader of the Congress from its erstwhile bastion of Vidarbha in eastern Maharashtra, Raut (62) is a four-term MLA. He is national chairman of the Congress's Scheduled Caste department and one of the working presidents of the party in Maharashtra. Hailing from Nagpur, Raut, too, comes with past experience in government. He has held animal husbandry, employment guarantee and water conservation departments so far.

A quick look at Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet as he heads a coalition government in Maharashtra

Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="narendra-modi" source="Orion">Narendra Modi</keyword> on Tuesday shared stage with NCP chief <keyword id="6364749" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="sharad-pawar" source="Orion">Sharad Pawar</keyword> at the <keyword id="161929" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="lokmanya-tilak" source="Orion">Lokmanya Tilak</keyword> National Award ceremony in Pune. Before the ceremony commenced, the two leaders were seen exchanging jovial banter, with Pawar patting Modi's back, as others, including the NCP chief's estranged nephew and Deputy CM <keyword id="6366108" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ajit-pawar" source="Orion">Ajit Pawar</keyword>, looked on. While CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM <keyword id="6355042" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="devendra-fadnavis" source="Orion">Devendra Fadnavis</keyword> shook hands with Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar skipped the opportunity, and walked past his uncle. Modi and Sharad Pawar met for the first time after a split in Pawar's party, following rebellion by Ajit Pawar, who joined the BJP and Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government last month. Pawar attended the event held to confer Modi with the Lokmanya Tilak Award in recognition of his "supreme leadership" and for "awakening the feeling of patriotism among citizens". Speaking at the event, Sharad Pawar took a dig at Modi, saying that "<keyword id="6360525" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shivaji-maharaj" source="Orion">Shivaji Maharaj</keyword> never snatched anyone's land." The remarks are being seen as Pawar's dig over BJP allegedly orchestrating splits in <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> and NCP. Ahead of the event, Sharad Pawar did not entertain requests from members of the opposition INDIA alliance to not share stage with Modi. The INDIA alliance members felt this won't be good optics for the opposition at a time when a united front is being put up against the BJP. The award was constituted in 1983 to honour the legacy of Lokmanya Tilak and is presented every year on August 1, Tilak's death anniversary. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/indias-smartphone-shipments-continue-to-slip-but-premium-segment-going-strong-with-samsung-in-the-lead/articleshow/102300347.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/indias-smartphone-shipments-continue-to-slip-but-premium-segment-going-strong-with-samsung-in-the-lead/articleshow/102300347.cms" target="_blank">India’s smartphone shipments continue to slip but premium segment going strong with Samsung in the lead</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-ce-3-5g-vs-redmi-note-12-pro-mobile-comparison-under-30000/slidelist/102306217.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-ce-3-5g-vs-redmi-note-12-pro-mobile-comparison-under-30000/slidelist/102306217.cms" target="_blank">OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G vs Redmi Note 12 Pro – the sub ₹30,000 smartphone clash</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-ce-3-5g-review-powerful-mid-ranger-with-sleek-design/articleshow/102300758.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-ce-3-5g-review-powerful-mid-ranger-with-sleek-design/articleshow/102300758.cms" target="_blank">OnePlus Nord CE 3 5G review – Powerful mid-ranger with sleek design</a>

PM Modi shares stage with Sharad Pawar at Tilak award ceremony in Pune

A chartered flight carrying <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> MLAs, who have rebelled against the party bringing a crisis to the MVA government in <keyword id="13126" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="Orion">Maharashtra</keyword>, arrived here early Wednesday. Sources said that the flight from Surat in Gujarat landed at Guwahati's Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi international airport at around 6.30 am. The exact number of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs travelling in the flight is not known immediately but the flight had 89 passengers, including onboard crew, sources said. The Maharashtra MLAs are being taken in special buses to a city hotel with police protection. Assam is currently ruled by a BJP-led government. The move came after <keyword id="8524279" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shiv-sena-minister" source="Orion">Shiv Sena minister</keyword> <keyword id="193503" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="eknath-shinde" source="Orion">Eknath Shinde</keyword> rebelled against the party and herded some MLAs to BJP-ruled Gujarat. Top leadership of Assam BJP and the state government are believed to have been making arrangements for the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs accommodation in Guwahati. This is perhaps for the first time that MLAs from a Western Indian state is being taken to a Northeastern state after their rebellion against the party leadership. Earlier, Shiv Sena MP <keyword id="6355496" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sanjay-raut" source="Orion">Sanjay Raut</keyword> claimed 14 to 15 Sena MLAs, including some ministers, are with Shinde in Gujarat's Surat city. However, another party leader said the number could be 23. The Shiv Sena, which heads the MVA, has 55 MLAs, followed by allies NCP (53) and the Congress (44) in the 288-assembly where the current simple majority mark is 144. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/stashfin-raises-270-million-to-expand-its-neobanking-footprint-in-southeast-and-south-asia/articleshow/92363534.cms">Neobanking startup Stashfin raises $270 million to expand its footprint in Southeast and South Asia</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/winzo-acquires-gurugram-based-game-development-studio-upskillz/articleshow/92363531.cms">WinZO acquires Gurugram-based game development studio Upskillz</a>

Rebel Sena MLAs arrive in Assam as Maharashtra political crisis continues

Ahead of his possible resignation, Chief Minister <keyword id="53973" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uddhav-thackeray" source="Orion">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword> started making 'final calls' after his emotional challenge to the rebels previous evening that he was ready to quit the post (CM) as well as <keyword id="110829" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shiv-sena-chief" source="Orion">Shiv Sena chief</keyword>, here on Thursday. Simultaneously, alliance partner Nationalist Congress Party (<keyword id="42402" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ncp" source="Orion">NCP</keyword>) state President and Minister Jayant Patil ruled out the possibility of the CM's demitting office and expressed optimism that the political crisis would be defused. On Wednesday evening, Thackeray addressed the state via social media and expressed his readiness to step down from both crucial posts provided the rebels led by Minister Eknath Shinde come to meet him and say they don't want him to continue. However, Shinde promptly spurned the CM's offer, reiterating his pre-condition that the Shiv Sena must first walk out of its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance government with the NCP and Congress. Hours after that, late on Wednesday, Thackeray and family packed up their bags and left the CM's official residence 'Varsha' at Malabar Hill and returned to the family home, 'Matoshri' in Bandra. Prior to that, he also held meetings with NCP President Sharad Pawar and NCP state chief Patil, Congress leaders including state President Nana Patole and central leader Kamal Nath, besides other senior Sena leadership. Thackeray is scheduled to address an online meeting of all top Mantralaya bureaucrats this day ostensibly to express his gratitude for their cooperation and contributions during the 30-month tenure of the MVA regime. The political suspense continued with Sena MP Sanjay Raut claiming in Mumbai that "around 20 MLAs" from the rebel group were in contact with the party leaders, besides the 15-odd currently in Mumbai. "About 20 MLAs are in touch with us... When they come to Mumbai, you will get to know. We will reveal soon under what circumstances and pressures these (rebel) MLAs left us," declared Raut. NCP's Patil expressed hope that the rebels would return to the Sena fold and ensure the continuation of the MVA government for which Thackeray is making all efforts and the other allies are fully helping out. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-airtel-vodafone-idea-to-buy-spectrum-worth-71000-crore-in-the-coming-5g-auction-reveals-report/articleshow/92405807.cms">Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone Idea to buy spectrum worth ₹71,000 crore in the coming 5G auction, reveals report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-introduces-a-200mp-camera-sensor-with-0-56-micrometer-pixels/articleshow/92405653.cms">Samsung introduces a 200MP camera sensor with 0.56-micrometer pixels</a>

Uddhav Thackeray starts making farewell calls ahead of possible resignation

Shiv Sena may have shared power with ideologically-opposite Congress for the first time, but the saffron party is known to have cosied up with it before and posters with old pictures of bonhomie between their leaders Bal Thackeray and Indira Gandhi taken in the seventies were put up in different parts of the city. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took oath Thursday evening at the historic Shivaji Park supported by the Congress and the NCP. Besides late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and former prime minister Indira Gandhi, NCP President Sharad Pawar also figured in the posters. Those aware of its past, the Shiv Sena, known for its firebrand Hindutva politics, seeking support of the Congress and the NCP does not come as a surprise. From backing Congress candidates in presidential polls to not fielding any contender against Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule to even tying up with ideologically opposite Muslim League, the Shiv Sena has had a history of flirting with 'frenemies'. In the assembly polls held last month, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena bagged 56, followed by the NCP (54) and the Congress (48) in the 288-member House. The Shiv Sena, founded by Bal Thackeray in 1966, in its more than five decades long journey has allied with the Congress, formally and informally. In its initial days, it was often supported directly or indirectly by many Congress leaders and its different factions. Noted political analyst Suhas Palshikar in an article in the Economic and Political Weekly writes that senior state Congress leader Ramrao Adik was present at the first ever Shiv Sena rally. Dhaval Kulkarni, the author of "The Cousins Thackeray-Uddhav and Raj and in the shadow of their Sena", said that in the 1960s and 70s, the party was mostly used by the Congress to counter influence of the Left on the labour unions in the city. The party in 1971 allied with Congress (O) and unsuccessfully fielded three candidates for Lok Sabha in Mumbai and the Konkan region. Thackeray backed the Emergency in 1977 and did not field any candidate for the Lok Sabha polls held in that year. "In 1977, it also backed Congress' Murli Deora in the mayoral polls," said Kulkarni. So much so that the party was also mocked as 'Vasantsena', the army of the then Vasantrao Naik who was the state chief minister from 1963 to 1974. Palshikar writes that in 1978, when attempts to ally with the Janata Party failed, the Shiv Sena allied with the Congress (I), the faction led by Indira Gandhi. It fielded 33 candidates for the assembly polls. All 33 lost in the anti-Indira wave. In one of the most unlikely alliances, the Sena also allied with the Muslim League. Veteran journalist Prakash Akolkar, in his book on Shiv Sena titled 'Jai Maharashtra', writes that for winning the Mumbai mayoral polls in the 1970s, Shiv Sena also allied with the Muslim League. For this, the Sena supremo also shared stage with Muslim League leader G M Banatwala at Mastan Talao in Nagpada in South Mumbai, Sena's first chief minister Manohar Joshi writes in his book 'Shiv Sena-Kal-Aaj-Udya' (Shiv Sena-Past-Present and Future). If it was used by the Congress to end the Left dominance on trade unions in Mumbai, the Sena allied with Madhu Dandavate's Praja Socialist Party in 1968. The bonhomie between the Congress and the Sena ended in the 80s after the death of Indira Gandhi and the ties between the two were not the same. The relations only deteriorated during the terms of Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and later Rahul Gandhi. Incidentally, Uddhav's son and Sena's Youth Wing chief Aditya Thackeray met Sonia on Wednesday to extend invitation to oath-taking ceremony. The mid-80's was also the time when the Sena tilted towards Hindutva and gravitated towards the BJP. The late 80s and 90s changed the character of the party which moved towards hardline Hindutuva. In the later years, the Shiv Sena, however, broke ranks from the BJP-led NDA and voted for Congress backed Pratibha Patil and Pranab Mukherjee in presidential polls. The equation between the Thackerays and the Pawars goes back to more than five decades both were fierce rivals separated by conflicting ideologies but thick friends in private life. Pawar often termed Thackeray as a large-hearted opponent. In his attacks, he would often call him 'maidyaacha pota' (sack of flour). Sharad Pawar in his autobiography 'On My Terms' writes that despite being fierce rivals, how he and his wife Pratibha would visit Matoshree for "gupshup" and dinner. He also recalls that when he was suffering from cancer in 2004, Bal Thackeray gave him a list of "several commandments" related to diet. In private, Pawar says, Thackeray addressed him as 'Sharadbabu'. In 2006, when Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule contested the Rajya Sabha polls, Thackeray did not field any candidate. "Sharadbabu, I have seen her (Sule) since she was a knee-high girl. This is a big step in her career. My party will make sure that she goes to Rajya Sabha unopposed," Pawar said quoting Thackeray's telephonic conversation with him. When Pawar asked about the BJP's opposition, the NCP President says the senior Thackeray told him, "Oh, you don't worry about Kamlabai (the BJP)". Incidentally, the NCP fielded a lightweight against Thackeray's grandson Aditya, who was the first in his family to enter electoral politics. He won by a margin of over 67,000 votes in the recent Assembly election.

Shiv Sena and Congress share power for the first time -- but they have a history of being allies despite ideological differences

Here are the latest developments on Maharashtra political crisis

Newly elected NCP MLC Eknath Khadse on Sunday said <keyword id="6358821" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shiv-sena" source="Orion">Shiv Sena</keyword> leader <keyword id="193503" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="eknath-shinde" source="Orion">Eknath Shinde</keyword>'s rebellion against <keyword id="13126" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="maharashtra" source="Orion">Maharashtra</keyword> Chief Minister <keyword id="53973" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="uddhav-thackeray" source="Orion">Uddhav Thackeray</keyword> was due to some "powerful force" backing the dissidents. Addressing a press conference here, Khadse, a former <keyword id="14666" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bjp" source="Orion">BJP</keyword> leader, said the identity of this "powerful force" would be out in the open in the coming days, adding that he had never seen the state go through such a volatile situation in his 40-year political career. "It (rebellion) is an internal issue of the Sena. However, there is surely some powerful force supporting Shinde. He will not take such a bold step without powerful backing. I have not seen such instability in the state in my 40-year career," Khadse said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-shuts-it-used-car-and-quick-commerce-businesses/articleshow/92480954.cms">Ola shuts it used car and quick commerce businesses</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/india-might-be-used-as-a-back-door-for-russian-oil-say-media-reports/articleshow/92480791.cms">India might be used as a 'back door' for Russian oil, say media reports</a>

You Searched For "ncp congress shiv sena coalition maharashtra" and got 14 results

ECI Announces election schedules for Maharashtra and Jharkhand; both states to vote in November

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Maharashtra polls: Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to decide on seat-sharing, negotiations with allies

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Maha crisis: Thackeray appeals to the rebels to come back

IANS

Maha crisis: Uddhav Thackeray government to face floor test tomorrow

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A quick look at Uddhav Thackeray's cabinet as he heads a coalition government in Maharashtra

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PM Modi shares stage with Sharad Pawar at Tilak award ceremony in Pune

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Rebel Sena MLAs arrive in Assam as Maharashtra political crisis continues

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Uddhav Thackeray starts making farewell calls ahead of possible resignation

IANS

Shiv Sena and Congress share power for the first time -- but they have a history of being allies despite ideological differences

PTI

Here are the latest developments on Maharashtra political crisis

Maha crisis: 'A powerful force behind the rebellion'

PTI

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